The Borgosesia base operates within the regional system as one of four operational bases for air rescue in Piedmont, along with Turin, Cuneo-Levaldigi, and Alessandria. It is strategically positioned to cover vast mountainous and rural areas difficult to reach by land vehicles.

Located in “Piazzale Lora” close to Borgosesia’s hospital, the base provides daytime operations in collaboration with the Alpine Rescue Service and uses a Leonardo AW139 as its rescue helicopter, equipped with a winch for technical missions in challenging environments.
Thanks to its geographical location, the Borgosesia air rescue service is frequently called upon to intervene in a wide variety of scenarios: from road accidents and sport injuries, to the most critical medical emergencies. Past studies on the distribution of missions have shown that the Borgosesia base is among the busiest in the region, with a high percentage of service take-offs compared to other aircraft deployed in the area.

At the regional level, in 2024, the Piedmont helicopter rescue system carried out approximately 2,778 missions, with several hundred interventions in rugged and mountainous environments, some even outside the region, confirming the importance of these structures in ensuring timely responses to emergencies.

The value of helicopter rescue lies not only in the flying machines, but also in the quality of the crews: each mission features doctors, nurses, and alpine rescue technicians, accompanied by a pilot and a hoist technician; they are specially trained to operate in complex and high-risk conditions. During the winter months, a canine unit is also available to respond to avalanches.
The helicopters are equipped to provide medical assistance on-site, allowing critical patients to be treated before being transported to suitable hospitals, often dramatically shortening response times compared to ground vehicles.